Generation of a function affect model for residents with advanced dementia.

Aims and objectives: This article presents the generation of a model of care encompassing "function" and "affect" based on findings from a 2011 research project aimed at improving care delivery for people with advanced dementia. Objectives were to provide comprehensive and sustainable care, honouring and respecting the person. Background: Dementia is a debilitating, progressive, and terminal disease with a trajectory ranging from approximately 3 to 16 years, yet attention to end‐of‐life care, promoting comfort, alleviating suffering, and maximizing quality of life is frequently overlooked for people living in the advanced stages of the disease. Methods: The research project from which the model was drawn used a three‐phase mixed methods approach at three residential aged care facilities (nursing homes) providing high care in New South Wales, Australia. Thematic analysis was elicited from focus group discussions with staff, family members, and carers of residents. Findings Themes describe distinct dimensions of a model of care: "function" (dedication, designation, and deliberation) and "affect" (the personal outcomes revealed in relaxation, stimulation, and transformation). Conclusion: Reframing nursing practice from task and disease orientation to person centred and relationship focused is essential in meeting the complete needs of people with advanced dementia. This transformational model of care may be useful in adapting to other end‐of‐life care settings. SUMMARY STATEMENT: What is already known about this topic? Worldwide, the number of people aged 60 years and older is projected to nearly triple by 2050, placing a significant burden on health care systems.Sensory stimulation influences emotions and their expression.As residents progress along the dementia trajectory, they have less opportunities for engaging in meaningful activities. What this paper adds? A new model of care that has a positive effect on quality of life for people with advanced dementia.The model addresses functional and affective needs of residents by focusing on their preferences and personal outcomes.An approach for all health professionals in providing person‐centred care. The implications of this paper: Knowing and engaging the residents' personal history and understanding their physical, psychosocial, and spiritual needs are integral in improving the quality of life for people with advanced dementia, their families, and carers.Redesigning residential aged care facility environments to incorporate home comforts offers an opportunity to enhance health professionals' capacity for improved care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]